Memorable résumés: 15 that impressed—for reasons good and bad

A survey of nearly 3,000 hiring managers turned up some strange résumés and cover letters, as well as some clever ones.

By Michael SebastianAug. 3, 2012

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In today’s stiff job market, you need a grabby résumé and cover letter. A survey by CareerBuilder and Harris Interactive found that about 20 percent of hiring managers spend less than 30 seconds looking at an application, while roughly 40 percent dedicate less than a minute. Job seekers need to make an impression, and fast. This spring, CareerBuilder and Harris Interactive asked nearly 3,000 hiring managers nationwide to identify résumés and cover letters that stood out. Some were bizarre, others hit the right chord and resulted in a job. Here are some responses from the survey: The bizarre: Hiring managers offered examples of résumés and cover letters that were unusual.